Irvington’s Gina Maher named a finalist for “Best HS coach in N.Y.”

To those who know her or know of her, this should come as no surprise.

Legendary Irvington coach Gina Maher was named a finalist for USA Today High School Sports’ “Best High School Girls Basketball Coach in New York” contest, it was announced Monday afternoon. Maher, who has led the Bulldogs (16-2) to four consecutive Class B state championships, notched her 600th career win in mid-January, making her the first Section 1 basketball coach to ever reach the milestone.

Maher is one of five finalists for the contest, along with Bob Mackey (Christ The King), Ed Grezinsky (Murry Bergtraum), Eric Smith (Cicero-North Syracuse) and Rich Slater (Long Island Lutheran).

USA Today HSS selected 255 coaches from around the nation in its search for the best high school girls basketball coach in the country. State-level voting will end on February 24 at 2 p.m. (E.T.). Should Maher receive the most votes in the Empire State, she will advance to the regional level, which will consist of winners from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the top-two vote getters in the nation who did not win their respective states.

Regional voting will begin on February 25 at noon (E.T.) and will run until March 5 at 2 p.m. (E.T.). The winners from the eight regions (Maher is in the Northeast — New York, New Jersey, xxxx) will advance to the national level, along with the top-two vote getters who did not win their respective regions.

Voters can vote more than once and are encouraged to do so. For every 25 votes in one session, a voter will receive 20 bonus votes; for every 50 votes in one session, the voter will receive 50 bonus votes. The national winner will receive $2,000 for his or her school’s athletic department and will receive a commemorative banner from USA Today HSS. Click here for more information.

MIKE ZACCHIO has been with The Journal News and Lohud.com since August 2011 after freelancing exclusively for them since May 2010. Upon graduating from North Rockland HS in 2007, he earned his associate's degree in Communications/Media Arts from Rockland Community College in 2009. After RCC, he earned his bachelor's in Journalism from Purchase College in 2011. Motown music aficionado and future husband of Blake Lively.